In 1872, H. R. Heyl, in his U.S. Pat. No. 122830, illustrated and described how the opposite side of a playing surface side of a billiard table could be rotated upwardly and equipped iwth nine arches or hoops and two posts, so a game could be played with billiard cues and billiard balls following the procedures of playing lawn croquet. In 1877, Henry Von Hoevenbergh in his U.S. Pat. No. 197504 illustrated and described how nine arches and two posts could be secured to a removable table cover. Then the cover, so equipped, could be placed on a dining room table, so a game like or similar to croquet could be played. Later in 1916, Messrs. Becker and Gissberg in their U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,194 illustrated and described equipment for placement on a billiard table to play an indoor croquet like game using billiard cues and billiard balls. Two posts were secured at each end of the billiard table and then a telescoping and foldable overall assembly, positioning the included nine arches or hoops, was secured to the sides of the billiard table.
It is not known how long game equipment like Messrs. Heyl, Von Hoevenberg, Becker and Gissberg was used. Apparently, however, considerable time elapsed when such game equipment was not available. More recently the Applicant provided equipment for a pool table croquet like game. However, after some marketing experience, the Applicant made improvements to reduce the manufacturing operations and costs, and also to make the equipment more convenient for the customer to assemble and disassemble. As initially introduced, many components had to be adhesively secured together and therefore not thereafter disassembled. Also the arches or hoops were provided in two groups depending on where they were to be positioned. These and other features of the equipment although still serving the customer well were changed to serve the customer better and to reduce the manufacturing, packaging, inventory, tooling costs, and assembly and disassembly time, the latter becoming essentially a complete disassembly by a customer if desired.